The Western Cape awarded for their conservation efforts
With the high level of species diversity and endemism, the Western Cape is an area of high conservation importance. Most of the remaining natural areas in the Western Cape fall under private landownership. The conservation efforts of these landowners are thus of great importance. Conservancies are recommended as an effective way for landowners to collaborate with their neighbours and collectively address conservation related challenges in their areas. There are over 80 conservancies registered with CapeNature in the Western Cape which include the participation of more than 1600 landowners. Conservation at Work (formerly the Western Cape Conservation Stewardship Association) is the umbrella association for all conservancies and conservation minded landowners in the Western Cape. Conservation at Work (C@W) aims to support private landowners with their conservation endeavours and represent them nationally.
National Association for Conservancies and Stewardship South Africa (NACSSA)
The Aardvark Award is awarded to the best performing provincial association promoting community conservation and biodiversity in South Africa. The National Association for Conservancies and Stewardship South Africa (NACSSA) awarded this to their Provincial affiliate in the Western Cape, Conservation at Work, at NACSSA’s 10th anniversary conference and AGM from the 13-15 September in Cullinan.
We are very honoured to receive this award on behalf of all conservation minded landowners and conservancies that are affiliated with us. This is great recognition for the efforts of private landowners in the Western Cape and for Conservation at Work as an umbrella organisation. We would like to thank our main funder the Table Mountain Fund (TMF) who has supported us since the beginning of 2012 through a vital organisational strengthening phase, and recently accepted our extension funding proposal for a further 18 months. We would also like to thank NCC Environmental Services for their investment in the project.
We hope that with further input from Stakeholders and Members, Conservation at Work will be able to make a significant contribution to the conservation and management of our Province’s natural assets that fall under the custodianship of private landowners.
